[NEohioPAL] Berko review: JERSEY BOYS @ State Theatre

[Roy Berko]

JERSEY BOYS back at the State…Again, ”Oh What a Night”!

Roy Berko

Member, American Theatre Critics Association

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There is a special aura about New Jersey, excuse me, “Nujoisy.”  “De joisy 
fowks” talk different. “Dey” have an “addetude dat” reeks of testosterone (even 
the women), and find glee in being “in-ya face.”  They live by “der own ruhls.”  
This combination of being and doing flows onto the stage in JERSEY BOYS.  

The buzz of the audience before the curtain went up indicated that they were 
expecting something special. And, did they get it! At the end of the show they 
were on their feet screaming for more. (In this instance, this was not an 
automatic Cleveland standing ovation given for anything from good to bad to very 
bad productions. This was a deserved standing O!)

As Alex, the 15 year-old kid reviewer, said after the show, “Wow, that was 
special!”  The award winning composer went on to rave not only about the music, 
both the writing and the playing, but the quality of the voices, the acting, and 
the choreography.  


Yes, as one of the show’s songs rocks out, “Oh, What a Night.”

JERSEY BOYS is a story about Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, 
Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi.  It supposedly is the story of how a 
group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the 
America’s biggest pop music sensations. They supposedly wrote their own songs. 
They invented their own sound and sold 175 million records worldwide - all 
before they were thirty.

You’ll note in the last paragraph I said “it supposedly is the story” and they 
“supposedly wrote their own songs.” There is some controversy over how much the 
script’s writers, Marshal Brickman and Rick Elice, deviated from the real story. 
There is also some question about whether Bob Gaudio did write all of the songs. 
Be that as it may, there is no question about the entertainment value of the 
Four Seasons or the production. As one of the songs states, “Can’t Take My Eyes 
Off Of You.” You won’t be able to take your eyes off the stage and keep your 
feet still as the beat goes on and on and on.

The show opened in November of 2005 in New York. It won four 2006 Tony Awards 
including Best Musical and continues to break box office records on Broadway.

This production includes Matt Bailey as Tommy DeVito, the founder of the group.  
DeVito’s wild way of living, his spending and gambling, caused the quartet 
problems and eventually was the reason for its break up. Bailey is appropriately 
ego-centered in the role. He sings and moves well.

Steve Gouveia portrays Nick, Tommy’s older brother, who was basically along for 
the ride. Aubrey fits well his part and sings effectively.

Quinn VanAntwerp,  not only looks like the real Bob Gaudio, but has the same 
boyish charm. Portraying the “intellect” of the group, VanAntwerp wraps himself 
in the role and is completely believable.

The star of the evening is Joseph Leo Bwarie as Frankie Valli.  Bwarie was here 
in the previous tour and, if anything, reaches even higher levels this time.  
Earlier this week he released his debut album Nothin' But Love which is for sale 
in the State Theatre lobby.  (Be aware that John Michael Dias portrays Valli on 
Wednesday and Thursday matinees and some Sunday evenings.)

Everything about this production is professional. The sets, the orchestrations 
and the costumes all work.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: Go, go, go see ‘JERSEY BOYS.’ You will have one hell of a 
time and feel like “The Big Man [or Woman] In Town” as you go out of the theatre 
humming, “My Eyes Adored You.”

For tickets call 216-241-6000 or go to www.playhousesquare.org.
 
Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 
2011, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at 
http://royberko.info.  His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com 
and www.NeOHIOpal